Planning a destination wedding is a magical experience, and you have probably pictured every moment where you gaze into your future spouse’s eyes as your feet settle into the sand, while all eyes are on you, the blushing bride. But when you stop to think about all the planning you need to do to actually to get your guests there, stress and panic can often kick in! It can be difficult to know what the etiquette is when it comes to planning a destination wedding. Let us give you the low down on destination wedding invitations to help your destination wedding planning run as smoothly as possible!
What Look You Should Aim For
Save-the-dates and invitations offer guests their first teaser of the theme and atmosphere of your wedding day. Because a destination wedding is far from traditional, this creativity and free-spirited nature should be reflected in your invites. So, think outside the box! Options can include boarding pass or brochure-style invitations to highlight the travel theme. Alternatively, choose a simpler option such as a map of your chosen destination. Whatever it is that you decide upon, ensure it reflects your personality and the nature of your destination wedding, such as beach wedding invitations.
When You Should Send Them
With a destination wedding, you are asking your nearest and dearest to use their hard-earned money and vacation time to celebrate your special day. Because of this, consider how much notice guests will need to make all the necessary travel arrangements to be there with you.
Start off by sending save the dates between six months and one year before your big day. This way, everyone can begin to plan taking time off work and rearrange their family schedules, especially if you are planning New Year’s Eve nuptials in a castle in Scotland, for example. When it comes to the actual invitations, send out your destination wedding invites at least two-three months before the wedding.
Do You Need Save-the-Dates?
In short: yes! You cannot afford to skip this step when planning a destination wedding; if you do, then you might lose out on having everyone you hold dear present on the biggest day of your life. So, as soon as you have the date and destination locked down, send your save-the-dates so family and friends can begin to make plans right away.
Which Details Should You Include?
Now you have a design in mind, and you know when to send out your invitations, what actually needs to go on your invitations? Here are our tips for what to include:
- Name of the Bride and Groom: If your parents are hosting the wedding, include them in the title.
- Date and Time: This is a top priority (and a self-explanatory one)!
- Location: Your guests need to know the country and the nearest city.
- Resort or Other Accommodation: We know you want everyone together, so let everyone know where to stay. Also, include a booking contact and book by date.
- Guidance: Provide some direction for your guests to book their trip, from airline companies to helpful websites or phone numbers for booking accommodation and transfers.
- RSVP: Tell your guests when and how they should let you know whether they will be in attendance.
- Dress Code: It’s important your guests aren’t too formal or too casual. Let them know what kind of attire you expect them to wear.
- Other Important Events: The whole point of a destination wedding is that it is so much more than just a day, so make sure everyone is aware of any additional plans, such as the rehearsal dinner and other adventures, so nobody misses out.
We know that is a lot of information to include on one piece of card but don’t panic. There are options here! Some couples opt for a destination wedding website to ease information overload. With a wedding website, the easiest thing to do is strip back the information to time, date, venue and the RSVP details. Then provide the site name for your website on the invitation, so guests can soak up the information at their leisure.
Why RSVP’s Are Crucial:
This is no ordinary wedding you are planning where your caterer will only need a definite head count two weeks before the day. This is a destination wedding with many moving parts that you are trying to coordinate from afar.
For this reason, you need to ask questions from every vendor to see when they need to know numbers, from your hotel to your caterers. Find out who needs to know the soonest and pick your RSVP date a week before that to give you time to gather all that information (and sweep up the tardy ones).
